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Gale: It would break my heart if Tassie stadium is not approved
Nicholas Quinlan • September 22nd, 2025 5:33 pm
Tasmanian Devils CEO Brendan Gale has further reinforced the view that Tasmania must have a stadium to be able to play in the AFL.
This comes as the Tasmanian Planning Commission handed down its report for the Mac Point Multipurpose Stadium Development last week.
In that report, it recommended to the state parliament not to build the stadium, believing that it would diminish the “economic welfare” of the state due to the potential cost blowouts.
Despite that news, the Tasmanian Government, led by Jeremy Rockliff, has decided to still try and go through with the development, with the vote going to the Parliament at a later stage.
Speaking on the issue on SEN’s The Devil’s Advocate, the CEO reiterated that the condition of entry for the AFL side is to have a new stadium, and failure to comply could result in a material change to their agreement, potentially leaving the team unable to enter.
“If there is no stadium, I’m not sure what the pathway is, but if there is no stadium, I can absolutely say there will be no team,” Gale said.
“For the avoidance of doubt in the cold light of day, there will be no team.
“And that is because the AFL would regard themselves as having done everything, they can give Tasmania an opportunity to have a team in the competition.
“That includes the condition of the stadium, but also includes a whole bunch of draft and list concessions that get handed down today, also includes $360 million of AFL money that will be put into the state in the next ten years.
“So, if there is no stadium, that is a material change to the deal.
“It would break my heart, but the AFL has its own constituency and its own economics and its own politics to manage.
“But we’ve all bought into that, we’ve all lent into that, and that’s a risk we are willing to take because we believe it is worth it.”
The vote on whether the stadium is to be approved or not is set to take place is likely to take place towards the end of the year.
For more of Brendon Gale's chat with Brent Costelloe, press the play button below
